title: The comparison of ultrasound treatment and local steroid injection plus splinting in the carpal tunnel syndrome: a randomized controlled trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to compare the efficacy of ultrasound treatment to local corticosteroid injection plus splinting in carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). There is still limited knowledge on the efficacy of conservative treatment options for CTS.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fourty-nine hands of 34 patients with CTS were enrolled in this study. Patients were randomly assigned to the ultrasound treatment (group A) or local corticosteroid injection plus splinting (group B). The primary outcome measures included clinical parameters such as symptoms severity score, visual analogue scale (VAS) pain, functional status score, grip strength and two-point discrimination. The secondary outcome measures were the electrophysiological tests. The examinations were performed at baseline, and then at 4th and 8th weeks.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At the end of the study, a statistically significant improvement was obtained in all clinical parameters in the group B: VAS pain, severity of symptoms, functional status, grip strength (p < 0.001 for each) and two-point discrimination (p < 0.016). Also the group A showed significant improvements in all clinical parameters (p < 0.001 for each), except for the grip strength. Additionally, significant improvements in the median nerve sensory conduction velocity and distal motor latency were also found in both groups at the end of the 8 week follow-up period. There was no significant difference between the groups in the primary and secondary outcome measures, except for the grip strength.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Both ultrasound treatment and corticosteroid injection plus splinting were effective on the clinical symptoms and the electrophysiological findings of CTS. Thus, the ultrasound therapy may be an alternative treatment for CTS, particularly in patient who do not accept injection or splinting (Tab. 3, Fig. 2, Ref. 36).
authors.affiliation: Ondokuz Mayis University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Samsun, Turkey.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bilgici
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ulusoy
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Kuru
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Canturk
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000328:Adult; D002349:Carpal Tunnel Syndrome / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D018737:Hand Strength; D006801:Humans; D007270:Injections, Intra-Articular; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009431:Neural Conduction; D010147:Pain Measurement; D013165:Splints; D014464:Ultrasonic Therapy
chemical_list: D005938:Glucocorticoids